The boy erupted into a dark, mocking laughter. He wasn't bothered at all; instead, he seemed perfectly at home in this royal setting. Staring at Sofia with a look of pure disdain, he meticulously adjusted his shirt collar and sleeves. Then, without asking for permission, he sat down comfortably on a sofa directly across from Sofia.
He exhaled another thick cloud of smoke from his cigarette and gave a subtle, commanding flick of his eyes toward one of the three handmaidens standing behind Sofia.
Before Sofia could even process what was happening, the handmaiden moved forward as if under a trance. Without a moment's hesitation, she sat right on the stranger's lap. There was no fear in her eyes—only a mysterious, intoxicated gaze. She placed her hand on his shoulder and leaned close to his neck.
Sofia stood frozen in shock. In her own palace, her own servant had ignored her to sit on the lap of this stranger (who looked so much like the past). The red snake in her hand coiled violently in rage.
The boy looked at Sofia through the smoke and smiled:
"Do you see, Sofia? In four years, you've only gathered snow and loneliness. But wherever I go, loyalty crawls to my feet. This girl knows who the real 'Boss' is."
He wrapped an arm around the maid's waist, pulling her closer, and said to Sofia, "You play with your red snake, and I'll play with my new toy. But remember, I didn't come here just for coffee."The boy let out a demonic laugh as he crushed the butt of his cigarette into the ashtray. Looking directly into Sofia's eyes, he committed an act of ultimate defiance. Right there, in front of everyone, he began to unbutton the handmaiden's dress one by one.
The maid offered no resistance; she remained under his spell, leaning into his embrace. Sofia's blood boiled as she witnessed her own servant's surrender and the stranger's sheer audacity.
The red snake in Sofia's hand rose, hissing violently. Sofia screamed:
"Stop this filth! Who gave you the right to insult me in my own palace? Who are you? Do you think just because you have Dimitri's face, I will let you go?"
The boy didn't stop. He slid the dress slightly off the maid's shoulder and pressed his lips against her neck—exactly the way Dimitri once did to Sofia. Then, he looked up and mocked her:
"What 'morals' are you talking about, Major Sofia? The woman who could shoot her lover in the back has no right to speak of rules. I am simply showing your maid what the touch of a real 'Mafia Lord' feels like."
He carelessly pushed the maid off his lap and stood up. Walking dangerously close to Sofia, he whispered into her ear:
"Four years ago, you killed Dimitri. But the devil inside Dimitri didn't die, Sofia. It has returned in this body. Now tell me... can your red snake handle the fire in my blood?"Sofia was stunned for a moment, but the old fire of the Major instantly surged back through her veins. She cast a look of pure disgust at the maid on his lap, then fixed her sharp gaze on the stranger. Sofia took a step forward, a toxic and condescending smirk playing on her lips.
Moving closer, she aimed her red snake toward the man's half-unbuttoned chest and spoke with biting contempt:
"You thought a thick cigarette and some cheap gestures like Dimitri's would make me flinch? Fate might have given you his face, but where will you find his nobility? You are nothing but a low-life stray dog, trying to act like a king by asserting your masculinity over my servants!"
Sofia began to laugh with utter disdain, staring directly into his eyes. She continued:
"Four years ago, I killed Dimitri because he was worthy of me. Only I had the right to take his life. But a two-bit 'Lord' like you, who thinks unbuttoning a girl's dress makes him a Mafia Boss? I don't even consider you worthy of my snake's venom. Dimitri was in my heart, and you? You are just the dust beneath my feet in this Siberian snow!"
Bringing the snake dangerously close to his throat, she said in a deeply insulting tone— "Go! Take my maid and get out of my sight. I hunt lions; killing a jackal is beneath my dignity."Sofia's calculated insults seemed to awaken the beast within the man. He didn't recoil in shame; instead, his smirk widened—but this time, it was silent and bone-chilling.
He abruptly pushed the maid off his lap and stood up, towering over Sofia. Even as Sofia held the red snake inches from his face, there wasn't a flicker of fear in his eyes.
He dropped his glowing cigarette onto Sofia's expensive carpet and crushed it under his boot. Then, he grabbed the head of the snake with his bare hand so swiftly that the serpent didn't even get a chance to strike.
Staring deep into Sofia's soul, he spoke in a low, thunderous voice:
"A jackal? You thought a jackal would sit in your drawing room and talk to you? Listen, Major Sofia four years ago, you shot Dimitri in the back because you didn't have the courage to look into his eyes and pull the trigger. You knew those eyes would turn you to ash."
He tightened his grip on Sofia's arm. Sofia winced but held her ground. He continued:
"The man you call a stray dog is currently crushing the empire Dimitri left behind. Dimitri became soft because he loved you, but I am a Phoenix born from those ashes and I only know how to burn."
Suddenly, he grabbed her by the hair, pulling her close, and hissed into her ear:
"Tomorrow morning, when blood flows from this palace into the Siberian snow, you will learn how this 'dog' tears its prey apart. I won't kill you, Sofia. I will cage you just like you've caged the memory of Dimitri."
With a sudden shove, he threw her back onto the sofa and signaled his guards. Within seconds, the entire palace was swarming with his men.The palace fell into a suffocating silence. With a single gesture from the stranger, the guards vanished as quickly as they had appeared. More shockingly, Sofia's three handmaidens followed him out without a word, heads bowed in total submission.
Only two people remained in the vast drawing room Sofia and the mysterious stranger who looked like Dimitri's shadow. The Siberian blizzard howled against the windowpanes, while inside, only a single candle flickered.
Sofia, still slumped on the sofa, watched as the man approached her with slow, predatory steps. Even the red snake in her hand lay limp, as if it too had surrendered to some supernatural force.
The man knelt before Sofia. The rage in his eyes had been replaced by the raw, primal joy of a hunter. He traced the Phoenix tattoo on her neck with his finger and spoke in a hauntingly calm voice:
"We are alone now, Sofia. Even your maids know who their new master is. Tell me, will your Siberian empire or that snake save you now? Or will you admit that after four years, you are once again kneeling before a Mafia Boss?"
Sofia whispered hoarsely, "Everyone is gone... Do you want to kill me?"
The man let out a demonic chuckle and leaned into her ear. "Killing you would give you peace. I want you to feel the agony of Dimitri's unrequited love every single moment. Tonight, it is just you and me no maids, no bodyguards. Just one 'Psycho' held captive by another."Sofia's pride and her strength as a Major melted away like ice. In this vast, empty palace, alone with this terrifying man who shared Dimitri's face, she no longer felt safe. In a sudden blur of motion, she bolted toward her grand, royal bedroom.
Her silk gown trailed behind her, and the sound of her frantic footsteps echoed through the silent corridors. She reached her room and tried to slam the door shut, but a powerful hand shoved it open with brute force.
Inside the Bedroom:
Sofia retreated until she was pinned against the wall, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The mysterious man stepped inside with predatory calm and slowly turned the lock. The sharp "click" sounded like a hammer against Sofia's heart.
The man unbuttoned his shirt further as he closed the distance between them. He glanced at the massive bed—the very place where Sofia was supposed to spend her final night with Dimitri four years ago.
He trapped her against the wall, placing his hands on either side of her. The familiar scent of his cologne mixed with strong tobacco made Sofia's head spin.
Sofia whispered in a trembling voice, "Where do you get the nerve to enter my room? Get out of here!"
The man leaned in, his lips grazing her earlobe as he whispered:
"Are you afraid, Sofia? Are you afraid that tonight, Dimitri's ghost will claim the blood you owe him? This room is very large, Sofia. There is no one here to hear your screams. You wanted to rule alone well, tonight, welcome to my kingdom."
He snatched the red snake from her hand and tossed it out the window into the freezing snow. "No snakes tonight, Sofia. Tonight, only our own venom will mingle in our blood."The red snake didn't vanish into the snow. Instead, it slithered back into the room through a small gap in the window with uncanny intelligence. Surprisingly, it didn't attack Sofia; it went straight to her royal bed and coiled itself up, settling in to rest.
It was as if the snake was signaling an omen, or perhaps it, too, recognized this mysterious stranger.
The man let out a strange, low chuckle. He released Sofia and walked toward the bed. He placed his hand on the head of the snake resting on the silk pillow. To Sofia's utter shock, the snake didn't bite—it became docile under his touch.
The man turned to Sofia and said:
"See, Sofia? Even your venomous companion knows whose rule it is tonight. It has returned to its place; why are you still standing so far away?"
Sofia stood frozen in the middle of the room. The snake was no longer her protector; it seemed like a pet to this demon. Seeing the red snake and the man together on her bed made her feel as though she was trapped in a dark, surreal dream.
The man reclined comfortably on the bed and extended his hand toward her.
"For four years, you slept in the bed of loneliness. Tonight, both I and your snake shall be the guardians of your sleep. Come, Sofia... learn to conquer your fear."